Published: 2009-06-20 15:52:18
Author: The River Journal | May 18, 2009
A Chiropractic Approach
Irritable bowel syndrome is one of the most common disorders that doctors see in practice. One in 5 Americans experiences this disorder, yet it is not talked about very often because of embarrassing signs and symptoms. These may include abdominal cramping, bloating and gas, diarrhea and constipation or both. Irritable bowel syndrome does not cause inflammation in the bowel, changes in bowel tissue, or an increase in colorectal cancer but it really affects activities of daily living.
Irritable bowel syndrome is not a disease. It is defined as a functional disorder, meaning the bowel is not functioning properly. The muscles and nerves in the bowel act extra sensitive in those individuals with IBS. After eating, the muscles of the bowel may contract too much leading to cramping and diarrhea. Also, when the bowel stretches due to food moving through it, the extra sensitive nerves lead to pain and cramping. Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome usually includes dietary modifications, stress relief, and medication.
Another factor that could possibly cause or affect IBS is spinal dysfunction. If the spinal nerves that supply the bowel are being irritated from spinal dysfunction at those levels, this could potentially lead to extra sensitive nerves as well as muscle spasms in the bowel itself. Chiropractors described these spinal dysfunctions as vertebral subluxations. Vertebral subluxations occur when the joints of the spine are misaligned, get stuck, or don’t move right. This leads to irritation of the surrounding spinal nerves which can affect any of the tissues these nerves supply. The nerves that supply the bowel come off the spine from the thoracic 11 to lumbar 3 levels in the middle to lower back. Therefore, a vertebral subluxation at any of these levels could potentially cause irritable bowel type symptoms. Chiropractors treat these vertebral subluxations with adjustments to the spine at the level of the misaligned vertebra. The adjustment is a controlled force done by hand or instrument into the stuck joint to restore its normal motion. Restoring this motion removes the irritation of the surrounding spinal nerves and returns balance to the nervous system and the tissues being supplied.
Dr. Will Mihin, Chiropractor owns The North Idaho Spine Clinic in Sandpoint (208)265-2225.
A Homeopathic Approach
Six homeopathic remedies should be considered for irritable bowel syndrome. 1. Argentium Nitricum (silver nitrate) for the impulsive, claustrophobic individual with an anxiety about their health. 2. Colocynthis (cucumber) when abdominal pains improve with pressure and/or bending over but is gets worse when one is angry or easy to anger, frustrated, or indignant. 3. Lilium Tigrinum (Tiger-lily) for the hurried person with great irritability or rage who experiences diarrhea in the morning upon waking. 4. Lycopodium (club moss) for the person with a sense of inferiority they constantly try to overcome, with strong sweet cravings, who have loud rumblings in the abdomen, and who become bloated or feel worse after eating even a small amount of food.Full story